FROM PORTUGAL TO ATTACK ON WHO’S NEXT AND SIL SIMULTANEOUSLY

The Black Spider, SMF and Lemon Jelly are preparing their presence at the Parisian fair Who’s Next, scheduled for January 21st to 23rd. Simultaneously, João Manuel da Costa Flores (Iora) and Cotton Style are working on the last details for their presence at SIL – Salon International de la Lingerie. An edition that resumes its face-to-face format after three years of absence due to the pandemic. The big news is that these two fairs are merged.

With this participation, SMF hopes to reach multi-brand stores in France, thus increasing its portfolio of customers/agents in the country. The company will be presenting its SS23 collection for immediate delivery, characterized by “a sophisticated elegance, which is the true symbol of From Portugal production”, they believe. “Our SS23 collection blooms with bright colors and explodes with new energizing tones from sand to lemon”, they present.

Blackspider also has high expectations for Who's Next. A regular presence at the fair, the owner of the brand Cristina Barros says she has already “scheduled presentations of the new autumn/winter 2023 collection with new contacts and with customers who return to the fair after failing the last editions” given the constraints of the pandemic, says Marco Costa, CFO. To the city of light, they will take “products developed with the finest materials and with innovative manufacturing techniques that allow bringing design and total comfort to all pieces”, summarizes.

Back at SIL will be Cotton Style to show Mira's new face. “Since 2020, we wanted to participate in international fairs again, and we ended up not doing so in 2021 or 2022 due to the impacts that Covid brought to the organizers of the fairs”, shares Tiago Carneiro Rodrigues, project manager. "Recently, Cotton Style's commitment to the Mira brand has been quite large. We rebranded in 2020 and want to show the new identity in person at SIL, maintain contact with our current distributors and open up new opportunities". Cotton Style will present its AW 23 collection with novelties in pajamas and nightdresses in interlock knit with card 100% organic cotton.

Anxious to return to face-to-face contact is João Manuel da Costa Flores: “we look forward to returning to the fairs. After two years without fairs, exhibitors and visitors are anxious. In addition to our usual customers, who have not abandoned us during the pandemic, we also intend to increase the number of customers”, underlines Cristina Flores, general director of Iora Lingerie. The brand's AW23-24 collection features a variety of models, new ideas, and trendy colors.

The participation of Portuguese SME companies in Who’s Next and SIL is an initiative of Selectiva Moda and ATP – Portuguese Textile and Clothing Association, which aims to promote the internationalization of Portuguese companies in the Textile sector. Who's Next and SIL is in the “From Portugal” project, within the scope of the candidacy presented by joint projects for the Internationalization of Portugal 2030.